Residential Construction Performance Guidelines

1 Residential Construction Performance Guidelines for Professional Builders & Remodelers Fourth Edition NAHB Remodelers Single Family Small Volume Builders Committee Residential Construction Performance Guidelines for Professional Builders & Remodelers, Fourth Edition BuilderBooks, a Service of the National Association of Home Builders Courtenay S. Brown Director, Book Publishing Natalie C. Holmes Book Editor Torrie L. Singletary Production Editor G! Graphics Cover Design Ronda Quillen Composition McNaughton & Gunn Inc. Printing Gerald M. Howard NAHB Chief Executive Officer Mark Pursell NAHB Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales Group Lakisha Campbell NAHB Vice President, Publishing & Affinity Programs Joshua Nester Project Manager David Crump Legal Review Agust n Cruz Executive Director, Business Management Department Disclaimer This publication provides accurate information on the subject matter covered.

2 The publisher is selling it with the understanding that the publisher is not providing legal, accounting, or other professional service. If you need legal advice or other expert assistance, obtain the services of a qualified professional experienced in the subject matter involved. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favored status by the National Association of Home Builders. The views and opinions of the author expressed in this publication do not necessarily state or reflect those of the National Association of Home Builders, and they shall not be used to advertise or endorse a product.

3 2011 by NAHB. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America 14 13 12 11 1 2 3 4 5. ISBN-10: 0-86718-670-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-86718-670-3. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data National Association of Home Builders ( ). Remodelors Council. Single Family Small Volume Builders Committee. Residential Construction Performance Guidelines for professional builders & remodelers/NAHB. Remodelers and Single Family Small Volume Builders Committee. -- 4th ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-86718-670-3.

4 1. Dwellings--Remodeling--Standards--United States. I. Title. 2011. 690'.837021873--dc22. 2010019539. For further information, please contact: National Association of Home Builders 1201 15th Street, NW. Washington, DC 20005-2800. 800-223-2665. Visit us online at Contents vii History of the Residential Construction Performance Fourth Edition Scope of the Residential Construction Performance xii Scope of xiii Remodeling xiv How to Use This xiv General Definition of Incorporating the Guidelines into a Warranty or Dispute Resolution xvi Other Uses for the xvii Taking xvii Adapting a Carpenter's xvii Comments xviii 1. Site 1. 2. 3. 3. Concrete 4. Concrete Block Basement and Crawl Space 6. Poured Concrete Basement and Crawl Space 7. Moisture and Water 9. Basement Walls and 9.

5 Crawl 10. Structural Columns, Posts, or 11. 3. Interior Floor 13. Floor 13. Beams, Columns, and 13. Subfloor and 14. 4. 19. Wall 19. Moisture Barriers and 20. Wall 20. Windows and 21. Exterior 22. iii 5. Exterior 29. Wood and Wood Composite 29. Aluminum or Vinyl 31. Cement Board 34. Masonry and 35. Stucco and Parged 37. Exterior 39. Paint, Stain, and 40. 6. 41. Roof 41. Roof 42. Roof 43. Roof 43. 47. Gutters and 48. 48. 7. 51. Water Supply 51. Plumbing 52. Sanitary Sewer or Septic 54. 8. 57. Fuses and Circuit 57. Outlets and 58. 9. Interior Climate 61. Air Infiltration and 61. Humidity Control and 62. Ducts and 62. Heating and Cooling 63. 66. 10. Interior 69. Interior 69. Interior 71. Trim and 73. 75. 77. Interior Wall 81. Lath and 81. Gypsum Wallboard or 81.

6 Paint, Stain, and 83. Wallpaper and Vinyl Wall 85. iv 11. 87. 87. Vinyl 88. Hardwood 91. Tile, Brick, Marble, and Stone 94. 12. 97. Fireplace and Wood 97. Concrete Stoops and 98. 99. Driveways and 100. Wood and Composite 102. 13. 105. Appendix Sample Contract 107. Residential Construction Performance Guidelines in 107. Arbitration 107. Residential Construction Performance Guidelines in Express 108. 109. 115. 115. 115. Index .. 117. v Acknowledgments NAHB gratefully acknowledges the leadership and commitment of the two groups that worked together to produce this publication and its predecessors: Residential Construction Performance Guidelines , Fourth Edition: Nicole Goolsby, CGP, Chair, RCPG Work Group; Chair, Single Family Small Volume Builders Committee Review Subgroup Bob Bell, CAPS, CGR.

7 Sam Bradley, CAPS, CGR, GMB, CGP. John C. Cochenour Tom Gotschall Bob Hanbury, CGR. Bob Merz Richard G. Reynolds J. Bradley Simons Work Group Jess Hall, CGB, CGP. Buddy Hughes Jay Carlson Peter Merrill Paul Michelsohn Jr., CGP. John Moffitt Jr. Joanne (Jo) Theunissen, CGP. John Peavey Chuck Miller, MIRM, CMP, CGB, GMB, CSP, MCSP, CGP. Gretchen Palmer Alan Hanbury, CGR, CAPS, CGP. Lawrence Cramer Don Pratt, CAPS, CGB, CGR, CGP. Michael Turner Bill Allen John Piazza, Sr., CAPS. Tony Thompson Roger Langford Randy Rinehart Daimon Doyle vii Residential Construction Performance Guidelines , Third Edition: John H. Moffitt, Jr., Work Group Chair, Single Family Small Volume Builders Committee Chair Douglas Sutton, Sr., CGR, CAPS, Chair, NAHB Remodelers Work Group Leaders Robert Bell, CGR, CAPS.

8 Daimon Doyle, GMB, CAPS. Robert T. Merz Richard G. Reynolds J. Bradley Simons Others John Kubik Janet Williams Nelson Vaughan This book would not exist today had it not been for the original outstanding commitment from the following individuals and organizations who produced the first edition of Residential Construction Performance Guidelines : Bill Asdal, Chair, NAHB Remodelers Suzanne Grove, Chair, Single Family Small Volume Builders Committee Work Group Leaders Robert Bell, CGR. Norm Hutchens, CGR. Robert T. Merz John J. Piazza Sr. The following organizations and groups contributed to all editions of the Residential Construction Performance Guidelines : NAHB Research Center NAHB Remodelers NAHB Standing Committees Building Product Issues Business Management & Information Technology Construction .

9 Codes & Standards Construction Safety & Health Custom Home Builders Single Family Production Builders Single Family Small Volume Builders viii Other Organizations Bonded Builders Home Warranty Association Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis Building Industry Association of Washington Canadian Home Builders Association Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Home Buyers Warranty Corporation MacLellan Wolfson Associates Metropolitan Builders Association of Greater Milwaukee Michigan Association of Home Builders Portland Cement Association Professional Warranty Service Corporation Quality Builders Warranty Corporation Residential Warranty Company Southern Nevada Home Builders Association Texas Association of Builders Texas Residential Construction Commission Tile Council of America 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, Inc.

10 Department of Housing and Urban Development ix Introduction Beyond building codes and local regulations, both contractors and their customers have long sought measurable benchmarks that deal with the expectations of Performance in the goods and services provided by the Residential Construction industry. Although codes and regulations address matters of health, safety, and welfare, matching a consumer's expectations entails having objective criteria regarding Performance . Upon this premise, the Residential Construction Performance Guidelines were developed and refined to offer achievable minimum levels of workmanship for the products delivered. History of the Residential Construction Performance Guidelines The core of these criteria was first established as a basis for coverage under the insured warranty program, initially offered some 30 years ago.